SOUTH KOREA - June 23, 2026 - Continuing a commitment to story-first games, NEOWIZ has entered into a new publishing agreement with Korean indie game developer SaneNuts Studio to release Wind Up Deadman, a retro pixel-art styled CRPG set in a “Cassette Futuristic” world.
“Wind Up Deadman meshes branching narratives with a powerful character-building system in a way we haven’t seen in other games, aligning with our story-driven philosophy and making it a perfect addition to our publishing catalog,” said a NEOWIZ representative. “We’ve seen SaneNuts Studio’s ability to grow an IP with their previous work, and we hope our partnership further elevates this new CRPG to a wider, more global audience. Whether it is first-party or third-party, we want to develop titles that push the envelope of modern narrative experiences.”
Wind Up Deadman takes place in a world where survivors of a bio-disaster live in a solitary tower in the desert and rely on cassette tapes to preserve their memories. Players assume the role of an archive runner named Zephyr, who entrusts his soul to a robot as they track down his lost memories. Erased, implanted and reinterpreted memories dynamically influence the game’s narrative and shape Zephyr’s personality on the hunt to uncover the legacy of the past.
SaneNuts Studio is a Korean development team with extensive experience in the RPG genre and a vision of emphasizing the joy of role-playing while offering unique worlds and narrative depth. Their debut mobile title, Metro Blossom: Choice and Dice, was recognized as a Korea Game Award Indie Sector Finalist and placed in the TOP 10 at the 2021 Google Play Indie Game Festival. They demonstrated the potential for IP expansion with the publication of the spin-off novel 'Coffee of the End of the World', set 13 years after the game.
NEOWIZ continues to secure publishing agreements with some of the most sought-after game development studios in the industry, with highly anticipated games on the way from Wolfeye Studios and ZAKAZANE, and current favorites like Shape of Dreams, SANABI and Skul: The Hero Slayer. Alongside first-party titles like Lies of P, NEOWIZ offers a variety of games across PC, console and mobile that resonate with fans of multiple genres.
To learn more about NEOWIZ publishing news, please visit the NEOWIZ website.
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[Link to Press Kit]
About NEOWIZ
Established in 1997, NEOWIZ is a global leader in gaming, renowned for blending remarkable storytelling with exceptional gameplay mechanics. With a legacy spanning over two decades, NEOWIZ has solidified its position as one of Korea's foremost game companies, captivating audiences worldwide with diverse PC, consoles and mobile titles. Recent successes include Lies of P, DJMAX RESPECT, SANABI, Shape of Dreams and Cats & Soup, all emblematic of NEOWIZ's commitment to excellence and gamers worldwide. Welcome to NEOWIZ, where legends come to life.
About SaneNuts Studio
SaneNuts is an indie studio that makes dialogue-driven RPGs, guided by one belief: the true fun of role-playing comes from social interaction. From our debut title, Metro Blossom, and MA/CE Coffee, the novel that expanded its world, to Wind Up Deadman now in development, every project is built on a world of its own, emotionally resonant storytelling, and role-play you can disappear into. With these worlds as our foundation, we aim to cross the lines between media and create original story IPs that players around the world can love.
Media Contact:
Kaitlin Stringer / Colin Regan
neowiz_team[at]zebrapartners[dot]net
Zebra Partners